Sunfish Tools...

With another slow winter weekend, I thought I'd add a new thread where your favorite tools can be displayed.

My favorite all-time tool isn't particularly safe to use; however, no damages or injuries have yet occurred—and I have two of these mounted on different grinders.

Used to cut 'most anything that can be carried to a grinder, this inexpensive blade cuts wood, stainless steel, plastic, rebar, and fiberglass. The manufacturer doesn't recommend using the blade mounted in this manner, but an experienced handyman can benefit from it. OK, enough with the cautions, here is the ultimate blade:

Yes, it's six inches in diameter, so it fits the 6" grinder just fine. A home-made arbor attachment-piece will need to be fitted. (I cut PVC pipe, and clamped it with the big factory washers that came with the grinder—centering it to the shaft with care).

I've adjusted the (upper) safety shield to protect against broken/flying pieces of bolts, chain, and maybe pieces of "cut-off wheel". Still, tiny particles escape the shields, so wear eye protection. Don't use for cutting fabric, fiberglass cloth, Kevlar, or anything else that can be "grabbed".

Even cutting plastic is a very noisy operation, so ear protection is unavoidable. "Mileage" seems to be measured in seasons—and I use it every day!

My least favorite tool is the one pictured below, mostly because I have no idea what it is used for! The hook parts operate with the grips, and appear to grasp something slid onto the tapered cylinder of about 5/8-inch diameter. It is factory marked with "Dean":

L&V: My apologies for leading you down a bumpy path. All of my hobbies require temps of at least 70 degrees F. My latitude is 80 degrees N, therefore 100% of my free time from October through April is spent on TV sports and Google. So there.

Back to topic: Although a ball peen hammer cannot install an inspection port, it could easily open one.

"Bumpy" includes YouTube's selections of my favorite subjects. Well, at least I can select the commercials—unlike TV.
___________________

I think I paid less than $10 recently for this DeWalt drill-bit set and index. Yes, it is made in China.

The bits are Titanium-coated against wear: but it's the index that is remarkable, as it has a tilt-out feature that holds the drill bit firmly. (So it—or they—can't fall out all at once). The drill bit marked as "1" is tilted, but firmly held, and can be removed readily. The bright yellow color makes spotting it on the work bench easy. The case latches especially firmly: even if the drill bits were mediocre—and they're not—the case makes this purchase worthwhile.

All but the smallest bits are milled with three "flats", so they can't slip or spin in the chuck. On all but the smallest bits, the tips are ground smaller to minimize "walking" of the bit. The shank of the largest bit ("2") is cut down to fit a 3/8ths chuck.

I mention this, because of all the drill bits and indexes I've owned, this one I always keep handy.

L&V: My apologies for leading you down a bumpy path. All of my hobbies require temps of at least 70 degrees F. My latitude is 80 degrees N, therefore 100% of my free time from October through April is spent on TV sports and Google. So there.
Back to topic: Although a ball peen hammer cannot install an inspection port, it could easily open one.

Click to expand...

Just stumbled on a miniature chart of Earth that shows there's not much out there! (Unless you're on sunny Svalbard Island).

Discussed elsewhere was drilling a long hole through the width of a Sunfish rudder or daggerboard. (For a split board). Although not every Ryobi model has one, my Ryobi portable drill has a built-in level. (Might help ).

I mention this, because of all the drill bits and indexes I've owned, this one I always keep handy.

Click to expand...

Even though the drill bit case is a bright yellow, finding it can still pose a challenge on a cluttered workbench. So I keep it with my other DeWalt nut-driver, extensions, and hex-bit cases just above eye level.

If you're accustomed to using your cordless drill to drive screws—and especially machine screws—a DeWalt 4" extension for the hex bits can be handy to clear Sunfish bow handle, mainsheet block and rudder gudgeon hardware. Previously, I used two 2" extensions together, and set the drill's "torque-break" adjustment to a moderate setting.

And I have the exact same Ryobi drill, I've had it for about 18 years, it's on it's 3rd or 4th set of batteries. It also has a sight bubble on the back end for drilling straight down.

Click to expand...

With four Ryobi drills, I've got the opposite situation: lots of drills, but only one battery. Still, one drill makes the holes, a second drill countersinks the holes, and the third drives the screws in.

'Guess I should have mentioned the "down" sight bubble.

That I know of, these little "buzz-saw" blades (below) don't come with Dremel® tool kits. A buddy located this set for me, and I've just broken into the blister-pack for the smallest blade (mounted in a Ryobi drill) for some close inletting.

My Sunfish needs a replacement tiller extension, and I was given a Nicro-Marine extension—which may end-up as being too long.

A router would have been better for this tiller inletting job, but my router needs a new cord.

Probably the most expensive pop-rivet tool available, I'd still put this on your wish-list. There's got to be forty feet of aluminum trim on "seasoned" Sunfish.

In use, the grips don't feel like they're going to break off (or permanently bend), it handles four different rivet sizes, and the head rotates to counter difficult applications—including straight down!